A case of refractory idiopathic chylothorax involving an adult

Abstract

A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of left pleural effusion noted on chest radiograph. Further examination led to a diagnosis of idiopathic chylothorax. Conservative treatment failed to control the chylothorax, and we performed closure of the leakage point in the left diaphragm and ligation of the right thoracic duct using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Pleurodesis on the left side was performed on postoperative day 1 because of incomplete healing. However, right chylothorax appeared on postoperative day 18; therefore, we performed pleurodesis on the right side. Idiopathic chylothorax is rare and difficult to treat conservatively. Even with surgical treatment, some cases are recurrent. We report a case of refractory idiopathic chylothorax treated with bilateral pleurodesis following surgery.